Phuket
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, a idyllic site for the country's premier international beach resort. Much of the island's charm is that the ocean facing west coast is lined with a series of bays where white sand beaches span between two rocky points. This makes for a series of relatively intimate places rather than one big unbroken stretch of sand lined with high rise hotels and packed with people. See the Phuket beaches page for an overall map to the main beaches and towns of the island.
As befits a mature international resort destination, Phuket has a large variety of sun and surf activities so there's something for just about everyone. See our list of things to see and do for some ideas about what Phuket has to offer. Some would argue that Phuket's development as an international destination has made it a little less exotic. While this is certainly true of some places, there's still a lot of local color to be found for those willing to step away from the beach and look for it.
Of course, we can't talk about Phuket without mentioning the tsunami which affected a wide area of the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004. The big wave affected different beaches to varying degrees. Karon, which has a rather steep beach, was relatively unaffected, while Patong's long gentle slope allowed the water to flow several blocks inland and well past the second floor of the buildings nearer the beach. Many businesses in Patong were effectively destroyed.
However, the wave had barely receded when re-building began to be discussed. Many businesses were able to re-open within three or four months, although some hotels took slightly longer. By the time we next visited in November 2005, just a month shy of one year since the tsunami, things were pretty much back to normal. There are lots of shiny new taxis, tuk-tuks and buildings, but other than that there is very little sign of the event that took so many lives.
In this section
Windsurfing on the seas around Thailand. Phuket offers any number of options for the active person. Since it's an island, a lot of outdoor activities naturally involve water. Some of the main choices include:
Surfing Windsurfing Diving & Snorkeling Trekking Sailing Check out the links below for more information.
On the Ocean Meroja Yacht cruises with a European captain, Thai chef and crew out of Phuket to the Andaman islands, Myanmar and Langkawi.
Phuket has proved to be a popular center for adventure tourism, with several operators offering various programs. In fact, the one sight not to be missed around Phuket, Phang Nga Bay, is best seen by sea canoe, which classifies as an adventure in my book. John Gray Sea Canoe is one of the most respected operators of this type of tour, and they have several other trips on offer.
The airport is far away from most of the beaches. Many, if not all, hotels offer a pick up service, but check the charges before you order hotel transportation. We've seen hotels charge $50 or more for an airport pickup.
Be very wary of van services offered in the airport. We've heard many reports of these vans stopping off at tour offices on the way to hotels to sell people day trips.
The popular beaches are spread along the bays of the island's west coast. The beaches along the east coast, facing Pang Nga Bay, are mostly mud flats. All of the main hotels and resorts are on the western beaches. Each of the beaches and bays has its own character, which in turn is generally built on by the hotels and resorts.
Map of Phuket's Beaches Nai Harn A favorite among many, with many little coves and other places to achieve privacy.
No matter what kind of traveler you are, there are a few basic essentials that you need to travel to Phuket. Here are links to the basics:
Getting There The best way to get to Phuket is to fly there. The only other realistic option is by bus, which takes in excess of 12 hours from Bangkok. The train completely by-passes the Andaman coast, so it is not really an option.
The Phuket Gay scene is centered around the main resort town on Patong Beach, specifically, the Paradise Complex on Rat-U-Thit road. In this area, you'll find many bars, clubs and shops catering to gay men. It's a bit less commercial than Pattaya, but the night life is still predominately made up of host and go-go bars.
Resources for Gay Travelers Reflecting the rather liberal attitude described above, there are a wealth of businesses and information resources catering to the Gay traveler.
Transportation is Phuket's major weakness. Through coercion and corruption, a small group of people have been able to monopolize transportation on the island and block all attempts to offer travelers the kinds of services you would expect in a major tourist destination. Since the 2004 tsunami, it's also gotten rather expensive to get around as well.
Airport Transfers The airport is far away from most of the beaches. Many, if not all, hotels offer a pick up service, but check the charges before you order hotel transportation.
The best way to get to Phuket is to fly there. The only other realistic option is by bus, which takes in excess of 12 hours from Bangkok. The train by-passes most of the Andaman coast, so it is not really an option.
Domestic Airlines Serving Phuket If trying to get to Phuket from Bangkok, or elsewhere in Thailand, there are a number of domestic airlines serving the island, both full service and budget carriers.
No matter what kind of accommodation you're looking for, you're spoiled for choice in Phuket. Even the rich and famous - or those just pretending to be - have several places to choose from.
To help narrow down your choices, in addition to price you will want to consider the location and type of place where you want to stay. Those interested in nightlife as well as sun and sea will want to consider staying in the area of Patong Beach, the island's most developed area.
Phang Nga Bay really is a "must see" destination. There are a number of ways to visit the area. You can book torus in advance through online agencies, or wait until you get there an book from your hotel or a local shop.
It can't really be compared to Penang or Melaka, but Phuket's old town area is definitely worth a look if you're interested in that sort of thing, and looking to spend some time away from the beach. The old town area covers a couple of blocks. It is not well developed as a tourist destination, but many of the buildings are still in very good shape.
Shophouses along Romanee Lane Phuket has always been an important trading center.
Here are some additional resources to help you plan your trip to Phuket.
Beaches The popular beaches are spread along the bays of the island's west coast. The beaches along the east coast, facing Pang Nga Bay, are mostly mud flats. All of the main hotels and resorts are on the western beaches. Each of the beaches and bays has its own character, which in turn is generally built on by the hotels and resorts.
With thousands of visitors from all over the world, Phuket has restaurants to cater to almost every taste. There's a heavy emphasis on seafood, of course, but you'll also find steaks, pizza and just about everything else on offer. The main concentration of restaurants is in the main beach area of Patong, although you'll find restaurants all over the island.
In Patong, the Beach Road (Thaweewong) is lined with outdoor seafood establishments, as well as a sprinkling of American fast food outfits.
As befits an island resort, the main attractions on Phuket are its many beaches. However, there are a few other things to see away from the sand and surf. Here are a few ideas
Phang Nga Bay Broad view of Phang Nga bay. This bay near Phuket, with its fantastical scenery, is a popular spot with tourists. It used to be that the only way to see it was on a tour boat from Phang Nga city, although you could take a boat from a small fishing village near Phuket for a more "personal" tour by the people who lived and worked in the bay.
If you're looking for something specific to fill your holiday, here are some ideas for those with special interests.
Activities & Sports Phuket offers any number of options for the active person. Since it's an island, a lot of outdoor activities naturally involve water. Adventure Phuket has proved to be a popular center for adventure tourism, with several operators offering various programs. In fact, the one sight not to be missed around Phuket, Phang Nga Bay, is best seen by sea canoe, which classifies as an adventure in my book.
The Thais divide the year into three seasons: the cool season, hot season, and rainy season. For most westerners, this translates to "hot," "really hot," and "really hot and wet." Temperatures rarely drop below 25° C (70° F). Phuket has some of the most constant temperatures of all the popular tourist destinations in Thailand. Highs and lows vary by only about five degrees Fahrenheit over the course of the year.
Average Monthly High & Low Temperatures (°C) The rainy season, which coincides with the European and North American summers, is not an entirely bad time to visit, since the rain generally falls within the span of an hour or two in the late afternoons.
Phuket is proving to be a popular destination for romantic, exotic weddings. This is due, at least in part, to the relative ease with which foreigners can get married in Thailand. In most cases, your hotel can arrange for all legal formalities and provide you with documentation suitable for your marriage to be recognized in your home country, although complete documentation may require a stay in Bangkok for up to a week.
